Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk

Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk                             Written by John Vitti
                                                      Directed by Mark Kirkland

TV Guide synopsis

There's a new world order in Springfield after Burns sells the nuclear-power
plant to foreign interests, who don't care for Homer's approach to his work.

Title sequence

A full second-season title sequence.  Music re-done in some parts.

Blackboard :- `The Christmas pageant does not stink'.
              `The Christmas pageant do' at cutoff.

Lisa's solo:- very fragmented

Driveway   :- Homer says `D'oh!' when Lisa scoots past.
              Homer says `Wooh!' when the car closes in on him.

Couch      :- SLH is on the couch and growls menacingly.
              The family back away slowly.

Didja notice...

    ... Phil Hartman voiced the stockbroker?
    ... the crow calls during the establishing shots of the plant?
        Dave Hall {dh} points out that we ALWAYS hear a crow call
        during such shots.
    ... Smithers was so upset, he gave Homer change, thinking
        Homer was a beggar?  {thf}
    ... the stockbroker worked in a boiler room? {thf}
    ... Marge needed a calculator to multiply 100 by 52?
        Like she said, ``Not if I have to do heavy lifting or math.'' [7[FG]12]
    ... the $100,000,000 offer was written in German Fraktur?
        [rhodewalt_br@swam2.enet.dec.com]
    ... Marge was in bed naked?
    ... the Simpsons' toaster can toast only one slice at a time?
    ... the Happy Little Elf on Burns' security monitor?
        (While Burns' office was a day-care.)
    ... when the plant ceiling collapses, the worker who falls from the
        floor above held a donut in his hand?  His donut was unharmed,
        though perhaps a bit dusty.

Dave Hall {dh} observes:
    ... the telephone cord in the sandwich. (Note that intro shot doesn't
        show a cord coming from the phone.)
    ... the contented look on Lisa's face as she was reading that book?
    ... Burns was twitching his leg while doing his Elvis impersonation?
    ... when Homer yelled at Lenny, he threw his donut to the floor...
        and it bounced!
    ... Smithers was holding Burns' hand while they left the bar?

Mixed reviews

[JYANOWITZ@hamp.hampshire.edu]:  All in all, it just wasn't a great episode.

David Reid {dr}:  It seems I'm in the minority here, but my friends and I
thought that this episode was a CLASSIC!!!  Homer in the land of chocolate
had to have been the funniest 60 seconds of television in many years.

John Mastrangelo {jm}:  After watching this episode 5 times or so, I
think it is one of the best, better than Flaming Moe's.

Bryan Kelln {bk}:  I thought this episode was fast paced and does not
beat Flamin' Moe's for best episode of the year.  Best part of the
show? The Land of Chocolate sequence.

Lesli Thorn {lt}:  Its--well, its okay.  Not much of it was that funny.
I gave this episode no rating, no thumbs up OR down.  Just a ok.

John P. Connolly {jpc}:  The story line was missing something.  The ending
was missing something too.  I sat there bored through most of it.  I rate
it close to the bottom of the list.  I say thumbs down.

Lawrence A. Schwimmer {las}:  The surreal chocolate land sequence was
definitely the best.  Especially the dog.  That was the work of a
wonderfully deranged mind.

Andrew Tannenbaum {trb}:  I thought it was a cool episode.

J. D. Baldwin {jdb}:  By the standards of the Simpsons it was
`Mediocre-Plus', which of course means that by the standards of TV in
general it was brilliant.  They can't all be `Flaming Moe's' and `Itchy
and Scratchy and Marge'.

Ron Carter {rc}:  I liked the episode, Itchy and Scratchy had me rolling,
and those kooky Germans!  Just like `Hogan's Heroes'.

Yours Truly {rjc}:  This episode sort of grows on you.  Of course, we all
knew Burns was going to buy the plant back, it was just a question of how.
The laugh-on-the-floor award goes to the list of laid-off employees.  Good
thing a commercial break came right afterwards so I could regain my
composure.

Movie (and other) References

    Something's Coming, from West Side Story {trb}
    Henry Weinhard's Private Reserve
        - People who don't live in the American Northwest would've missed
          the reference to this brand of beer, brewed in Groening's home
          state of Oregon. {yuf@sequent.com}
        - But it hardly costs $20 a bottle. {elm}
    JFK's ``Ich bin ein Berliner'' speech.
  ~ Top Secret
        - Listening to an awful `learn German' tape.
    Alexander Graham Bell
        - Smithers, come here, I want you.
    Photo of Nixon with Elvis
        - Burns has a photo of himself with Elvis {dr}
    Barefoot Boy (with cheek of tan), a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
        - briefly quoted by Monty Burns {trb}

Moe's calling Bart a `pip' is not a movie reference.  Check your dictionary.

Freeze Frame Fun

As usual all items tagged with a `-' are due to Ron Carter {rc}.

By the vending machine

  - Sign over water fountain:  Please Do Not Put Foreign Objects In Fountain
    [As opposed to ``Please do not sell plant to foreign objects.'' --rjc]

  - Scrawled on torn dollar bill:  OIL L-158

Burns Worldwide Logo: A `nuclear family' facing a mushroom cloud

Vanity licence plates

  - 1ALP216 (Homer's)
  - LOADED (Karl's car)
  - ME RICH
  - JACKPOT
  - BUY LOW

The `big' check

  - Zwei Reihe Typen, Inc. (``Second Row Brands'')
        [But why `Inc'?  Shouldn't it be GmbH? --rjc]
  - The memo entry:  For Power Plant   [Well, DUH!]
  - Oct. 18, 199-
  - Check number 788

The Land Of Chocolate

  - Pop. 1372
  - Fudgetown
  - Ye Olde Chocolate Shoppe

  - Homer gets excited about a 50 percent discount, when chocolate is free.

Carrot Cat Food: 88 percent Ash, 12 percent Carrots

Battlestar Galactica: 5,000 Pieces / As Seen On The Hit TV Show!

Customers at Moe's Tavern (during Bart's singing and dancing) {dh}

   Herman
   Barney

Animation and continuity goofs

Chris Baird {cjb}:

When Smithers introduced to the bees, his hair is coloured light
brown, rather than the usual medium grey.  [His hair suffers similar
color changes in the next scene.  Maybe it's just the way the light
plays off it. --rjc]


When Horst says they're ``Desparate to sell'', both his hands
disappear!  Weird!


All due to Dave Hall {dh}:

Moe's towel disappeared after he opened the bottle.

The pan with glowing water(?) dripping into it only appeared after Horst
spoke about talking to the safety inspector.

As Homer was talking to Marge, the moon can be clearly seen through the
bedroom window--which faces the front, but you can also see the moon
through the kitchen window (which faces the backyard) when Homer sat
down to do the puzzle.

Intro shot of Homer talking to the two Germans show one of them holding a
folder, yet later, this folder is nowhere to be seen.

You could see the chair legs under the desk, but not the feet of the two
Germans talking to Homer.

As Marge walking into the kitchen with her new hair-do, Maggie had a baby
bottle in front of her.  But after Marge put Snowball II on the floor, this
bottle is gone.  (A jug and glass disappeared as well.)

During Bart prank phone call, Barney's mug didn't have a handle (or rather,
he wasn't holding it by the handle?).

The fire hydrant and the "No Parking" sign(?) were missing from the front of
Moe's Tavern.

Burns parked his car on the wrong side of the street.

Although Burns office was used as a Day-care, He took a letter opener(?)
out from the desk.  (Note that the pig wasn't on the desk when he started
to clear it.)

Comments and other observations

German

The title, ``Burns verkaufen der Kraftwerk''

The title is supposed to be German for ``Burns sells the power plant'',
but some verb conjugations and article declensions got mangled.  It should
be, ``Burns verkauft das Kraftwerk''.

Tilo Sloboda (sloboda@i41s12.ira.uka.de) adds, ``Otherwise it sounds like
a portion of text from a Taiwanese computer manual.''

The meeting in the restaurant

Burns:    Der Sauerbraten schmeckt koestlich.
          [The Sauerbraten is excellent.]
Smithers: Oh, you never cease to amaze me, sir.
Burns:    Mein Kriecher sagte mir, dass ich bin nie aufhoere, zu erstaunen.
          [My lickspittle told me I / never cease to amaze him.]
Man 1:    Wir denken, wir haben ein sehr gutes Angebot.
          [We think we have a / very generous offer.]
Burns:    Du verspielst deine Zeit!
          [You are wasting your time.]

Smithers' sycophantic comments aside, Burns' German wasn't entirely
amazing.

(1) He mispronounced `koestlich' as `kustlich', and `Zeit' as `Seit'.
(2) His second sentence should have ended, ``dass ich nie aufhoere, ihn
    zu erstaunen.''  As it currently stands, it makes little sense.
(3) Perhaps his biggest blunder was saying ``Du verspielst deine Zeit''
    instead of ``Sie verspielen Ihre Zeit''.  (Or ``Ihr verspielt euere
    Zeit'' if the use of the familiar form was intended to be condescending.)

Nevertheless, it's impressive that Burns can speak German at all.
(No doubt he picked it up from Countess von Bismark, notes {cjb}.)

Sycophantic German

Not even close.  Smithers should demand a full refund.

Why Germany?

Some people have wondered why the investors weren't Japanese.  First,
Japanese investors have already appeared, in [7[FG]16].  And, as John
Mastrangelo {jm} pointed out, if the investors weren't German, Homer
couldn't have dreamed about the Land of Chocolate.  Remember, the
cardinal rule:  It has to be funny.

The new cars

Lawrence Alan Schwimmer {las} wonders how everyone was able to buy a
fabulous new car with only 5200 dollars.

John DeCarlo {jdc} figures, ``They only needed a 10% down payment, maybe
even 5%, right?  Of course none of them would be able to <keep> those cars
for long, which made me laugh even more.''

Music

Bart's song

Andrew Tannenbaum {trb} identifies the song as Teddy Bear's Picnic,
a pretty popular children's song.

    Every teddy bear who's been good, is sure of a treat today.
    There's lots of marvelous things to eat and wonderful games to play.
    Beneath the trees where nobody sees,
    They'll hide and seek as long as they please.
    Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

This is actually the second verse of the song, but the format of the final
line in the actual song is really: ``Cuz that's the way the teddy bears
have their picnic''.  In this verse, but using artistic license, Bart sang
the normal one (from the first and third verses).

Taunting Monty Burns

Henry Neeman identifies the song that the bar denizens sing to taunt
Mr. Burns as ``Nah, Nah, Hey, Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)'', often sung at
sporting events.  Bananarama recorded a disco version of the song in
the 1980's, although the song likely predates then.  The words?

    Nah n' nah nah
    Nah n' nah nah
    Hey hey
    Goodbye.

Shakespeare, eat your heart out.

Miscellaneous

The German businessmen had a giant suitcase of cash, yet they paid for
the plant by check.  So why carry the suitcase around at all?  And how
would counting the money in the suitcase tell them anything about their
checking account balance?  (I know, I know, because it was funny.)

Nectar is gathered by the workers, not drones.  Drones actually just
laze about doing nothing.  Sort of like Homer without the Duff beer.

Ron Carter {rc} points out that they were really playing lawn bowling, not
bocce ball.

On the toaster scene, Lesli Thorn {lt} asks, ``Why couldn't it have
exploded, or slightly charbroiled Homer?  The effect would have been
great.''  J. D. Baldwin {jdb} answers, ``It would also have forced Homer
to learn a lesson and not lumber through life just barely getting away
with incredibly idiotic stunts like this one.  See the dictionary entry
under `Homer' for further enlightenment.''

Quotes and scene summary

 Smithers washes the hair of Monty Burns, whose spirits are down.  Burns
 isn't very forthcoming, so Smithers pulls out Snappy the Alligator, a hand
 puppet.  Burns complains that running the plant is preventing him from
 fulfilling his other wishes and is considers selling it.  Smithers gasps.

 Homer tries to feed a tattered dollar bill into the vending machine,
 with no success.  He cries, complaining, ``It's not fair.''  Smithers
 consoles him, thinking about Burns.  ``I bet he wouldn't sell the plant
 for $100 million.''  Homer asks Smithers for change for a dollar.

 At work, Homer takes a call from his stockbroker.
   
   Broker: Your stock in the power plant just went up for the first time
           in ten years.
   Homer:  I own stock?
   Broker: Yes, all the employees got some in exchange for waiving certain
           Constitutional rights.
   -- A fair exchange, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Before the broker can talk business, ``The book says we have to make a
 little small talk before we get down to business.''  After some
 tremendously superficial conversation, the broker tells Homer his stock
 is now 25c a share, giving him $25.  Homer eagerly tells the broker to
 sell, then dreams of how he could spend the money...  Getting a haircut...
 Getting the car hot-waxed...  Buying a $25 hammer...

 Marge interrupts Bart's viewing of another Itchy and Scratchy cartoon
 to switch the channel to the financial channel.  Fueled by unconfirmed
 takeover rumors, stock in Burns Worldwide has reached a high of $52.25,
 closing at $52, making the Simpsons' stock holdings worth $5200.
 Bart dreams of how he could spend the money...  Driving a car named
 Bad Boy Bart...  Having a cement truck of Frosty Chocolate Milkshakes
 poured into his mouth...  Wearing a personal rocket and skywriting
 the message, ``Eat my shorts''...

 Homer decides to celebrate his good fortune by ordering a bottle of
 Henry K. Duff's Private Reserves at Moe's.
   
   For your information, I just made a cool $25 playing the market.
   Buy low, sell high, that's my motto.
   I may just quit my job at the power plant and become a full-time
   stock... market guy.
   -- Homer makes a killing on the stock market, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Homer spots two German businessmen, who politely complain that American
 beer sucks.
   
   Homer: Hey, you guys aren't from around here, are you?
   Man 1: Ach, nein.  We are from Chermany.  He is from ze East.
          I am from ze Vest.
   Man 2: I hat a big company, and he hat a big company, and now we
          have a very big company.
   Man 1: We are interested in buying the power plant.
          Do you think the owner will ever sell it?
   Homer: Well, I happen to know that he won't sell it for less than
          $100 million!
   Man 2: 100 million?
   Man 1: [opens a briefcase of cash, counts]  Eins, zwei, drei, vier, fuenf...
          Oh, don't vorry, we still enough left to buy the Cleveland Browns.
   -- Buy one, get one free, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Marge watches the financial news with the kids and her sisters.
 Patty surmises, ``Homer is probably buying some magic beans with it
 right now.''
   
   We'll have a savings account!  We've never had one.
   -- Marge decides what to do with a stock market windfall,
      ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Homer returns home, and Marge learns he spent the money on beer.
 ``You spent $5200 on beer?''  Homer doesn't know what Marge is
 talking about until he sees the report on TV.  Homer is on all fours
 in front of the TV, bawling.  Bart kicks him in the butt.
 ``Come on, everybody, it makes you feel better.''

 At the plant, Homer's coworkers arrive at work in shiny new cars,
 purchased with the money from the sale of their stocks.  Lenny
 paid a visit to the plastic surgeon, his face pulled so tight
 he has no choice but to smile.  One of the other workers calls the
 gang over to watch Burns on TV in his limo.  Burns is on his way
 into ``The Hungry Hun'', denying rumors that he's going to sell it
 to a German consortium.  ``You'll see the Statue of Liberty wearing
 Lederhosen before you see Germans running my plant!''  He's just
 meeting them so he can enjoy turning them down.

 Inside, Burns chats in German and tells them he's not selling.  But
 he changes his mind when they offer $100 million.
   
   Man 1: [hands Burns an offer of $100,000,000]
   Burns: Woo hoo!  [dances about a bit]  Ahem.  I grudgingly accept.
   -- Driving a hard bargain, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 At an outdoor ceremony, Burns introduces the new owners.
 Diamond Joe Quimby adds, ``Ich bin ein Springfielder!''
 The plant workers fear their jobs, even Lenny (though you can't
 tell through his clenched teeth).  A German flag is raised over
 the plant...

 [End of Act One.  Time: 7:31]

 The workers are gathered for an informal meeting...
 (Lenny's face is back to normal.)
   
   Len:   Those lousy Germans can't fire me.  I'm the only one knows how to
          unjam the rod bottom dissociator.
   Karl:  Well, they can't fire me.  I'm the only one certified to run the
          gaseous contaminant particular [sic] fire.
   Homer: Well, they can't fire me!
   Len and Karl: Why?
   Homer: Because... [long silence]
   -- Reason enough, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
   Horst: Guten Morgen.  I am Horst.  The new owners have elected me to speak
          with you because I am the most non-threatening.  Perhaps I remind you
          of the loveable Sergeant Schultz on Hogan's Heroes.
   All:   Oh yeah, yeah he does.
   -- Familiarity breeds familiarity, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 He explains that the best way to an efficient plant is to have happy workers
 who are secure at their jobs.
   
   Horst: Do we have any alcoholics among us?
          [hands slowly go up]
   Man 1: Uh, me?
   Man 2: Right here.
   Man 3: I'm drunk right now!
   -- Getting to know you, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
   Horst: You will be given a six-week treatment at our drying-out facility
          in Hawaii, after which you will return at full pay.
   Len:   Oh, great!  [general agreement from other employees]
   Man 1: Hey, maybe I'll marry Elizabeth Taylor!
   -- ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Homer grumbles, ``Lucky drunks!''  Horst continues, ``We cannot ueber-
 emphasize the importance of employee safety.''  He spots a pan collecting
 green, glowing water dripping from the ceiling.
   
   Horst: We plan to have some frank discussions with your safety inspector.
   Homer: Hee hee.  Yeah.  Sock it to him, Horst!
   Len:   Psst, Homer.  Aren't <you> the safety inspector?
   Homer: [sees his nametag, ``SAFETY INSPECTOR'']  D'oh!
   -- ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 In his office, Burns endorses the oversized novelty check.  (``For
 deposit only.'')  Meanwhile, Smithers studies from ``Sycophantic
 German'' cassettes...
   
   ``You look sharp today, sir.''
   ``You looken sharpen todayen, mein Herr.''
   -- Smithers studies Sycophantic German, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Burns calls Smithers into his office.  He leaves him a photo of him
 with Elvis, though he admits that he didn't understand a word Elvis
 was saying.  His attempt to reproduce Elvis's drawl craks Smithers up.
 On Burns' agenda is to get a new hip, then beekeeping, boxing, bocce ball...
 He grabs a cane, tips his hat, and heads out.

 Homer comes into Lisa's room, where she is studying.  (Duh.)
   
   Homer: Lisa, your father needs your help.  Do you know anything about Germany?
   Lisa:  Well, it's a country in Europe.
   Homer: Good, good, I'm learning.
   -- Teaching an old dog, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 It's also a leading economic power, because they're efficient, punctual,
 and have a strong work ethic.

 In the master bedroom, Homer whines that his job is history.  Marge
 assures him they'll find a way to pay the bills somehow.
   
   Marge, it's not the money.  My job is my identity.
   If I'm not a safety whatchamajigger, I'm nothing!
   -- Homer fears the loss of his job, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Marge suggests that Homer do something constructive, since he can't sleep.
 Homer plops a 5000-piece Battlestar Galactica jigsaw puzzle on the kitchen
 table, takes two pieces which obviously don't fit, and tries to force them
 together.  He dozes off, and Bart wakes him the next morning.  Homer's
 droopy visage blends into a donut-eating visage by the coffee pot.  He
 spots Horst coming and quickly changes his demeanor.
   
   Hey you, stop being... so unsafe!  Smitty!  Safen up!
   -- Homer tries to look busy, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
   Horst: Homer, could ve have a word with you?
   Homer: No.
   Horst: I must have phrased that badly.
          My English is, how you say, inelegant.
          I meant to say, may we have a brief friendly chat.
   Homer: No.
   Horst: Once again, I have failed.  [consults phrasebook]
          We request the pleasure of your company for a free exchange
          of ideas.
   Homer: [runs away in panic]
   -- Homer fears for his job, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Homer is in the owner's office...
   
   Man 1: You have been safety inspector for two years.
          What initiatives have you spearheaded in that time?
   Homer: Uh... All of them?
   Man 1: I see. ... Then you must have some good ideas for the future as well?
   Homer: I sure do!
   Man 1: [waits for a follow-up, which doesn't come]
   -- Homer tries to justify his job, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Homer mentions fixing the candy machine, since some workers really like
 their candy.  The owner says, ``We understand, Homer.  After all, we are
 from the land of chocolate!''  Homer muses, ``Mmm... The land of
 chocolate...'' and slips into a dream that, as usual, defies description.
 He is called back to reality.  ``Oh, I'm sorry.  We were talking about
 chocolate?'' ``That was ten minutes ago!''

 Homer tells Karl and Len he thinks he did okay.
   
   Karl: Yeah, you know, those Germans aren't so bad.
   Len:  Sure they made mistakes in the past, but aah, that's why pencils have
         erasers!
   -- The power plant is under new management, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 A message comes over the PA system.
   
   Attention workers, we have completed our evaluation of the plant.  We regret
   to announce the following lay-offs, which I will read in alphabetical order:
       Simpson, Homer.
   That is all.
   -- The power plant is under new management, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 [End of Act Two.  Time: 13:07]

 At home, Bart feeds the cat, and Marge comes in with a strange hairdo.
 ``Lisa did a <wonderful> job on my hair, and we saved $40.''  Marge
 tells the kids they have to pull together until Homer gets a new job.
   
   Lisa:  I made a new bar of soap by squeezing all our little soap
          slivers together!  [holds up a multi-colored ball of soap slivers]
   Marge: That's very clever.
   Bart:  And today, instead of buying comic books, I just read 'em and
          left 'em in the store.
   Marge: Mmm... You shouldn't do that.
   Lisa:  My jumprope broke, but I just tied it back together.
   Marge: That's good, Lisa.
   Bart:  I didn't take a bath today, and I may not take one tomorrow.
   Marge: I want you to take baths, Bart.
   -- The family try to scrape by, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Homer grumbles, ``Who are they to say I'm not safe?'' as he tries to
 fish toast out of a toaster with a knife.  He looks over to the wall
 outlet, which is a multiple-octopus mess.  ``No problem here.''

 At the park, Jasper, Abe, and a third man watch Burns feebly toss
 a bocce ball.  They laugh, and Burns tells them to get out of his park.
 Abe laughs, ``It was worth it.''

 Smithers is on the phone with Burns, complaining about what they did
 to Burns' office.  (It's now a day-care center.)  Burns tells Smithers
 he called at a bad time, but suggests they get together for a drink
 later.  Burns then hangs up, and we see that he's in a boxing ring.
 ``You're going down, my friend.'' ``Yes, sir, Mr. Burns.''

 The new owners see icky glop seeping out of cracks in the cooling tower
 and find raccoons in the consoles.

 Burns is playing beekeeper...
   
   That's right.  Gather the nectar, my little drones.  And make the honey.
   Honey for your children...
   Fools!  [laughs evilly]
   -- Burns watches his bee colony, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Smithers stops by, and Burns introduces his bees, including the queen,
 which he named Smithers.

 At Moe's Tavern, the phone rings.
   
   Moe:  Moe's Tavern, Moe speaking.
   Bart: Uh, yes, I'm looking for a Mrs. O'Problem?  First name, Bea.
   Moe:  Uh, yeah, just a minute, I'll check.
         [calls]  Uh, Bea O'Problem?  Bea O'Problem!
         Come on guys, do I have a Bea O'Problem here?
   Barney: You sure do!  [bar denizens laugh]
   Moe:  Oh... [to phone]  It's you, isn't it!
   Bart: [laughs]
   Moe:  Listen, you.  When I get a hold of you, I'm going to use your head
         for a bucket and paint my house with your brains!
   -- ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Marge sends Bart to Moe's to get Homer.  Bart gulps hard.

 Bart comes into Moe's and asks a random gentleman, ``Excuse me, I'm
 looking for...''  Moe interrupts.  ``Wait a minute...  I know that
 voice.''  Bart expects the worst.  Moe continues brightly, ``If it
 isn't little Bart Simpson!  I haven't seen you in years!''  Moe asks
 Bart to sing that song he used to sing, and Bart does so.  Burns and
 Smithers stop in to find Bart singing and dancing on the counter, and
 the bar denizens eating it up.  (Moe rewards Bart with a Krusty Bar.)
 Trying to fit in, Burns orders a beer for Homer, but Homer snaps at him.
   
   Burns:    Smithers, who is this saucy fellow?
   Smithers: Homer Simpson, sir.  Sector sieben-Grueber, I mean, sector 7-G.
   -- ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Homer, the rest of the gang, and even Bart mock and abuse Burns.
   
   What good is money if it can't inspire terror in your fellow man?
   -- Burns learns the moral of the story, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 At the plant, the ceiling collapses, and the repairs to bring it up to
 code will cost $100 million.  Burns pays the owners a visit...
   
   Burns: [begging] Please sell me my plant back.  I'll pay anything.
   Horst: Isn't this a happy coincidence!  You are desperate to buy, and we
          are desperate to sell.
   Burns: [calculatingly]  Desperate, eh? ... Advantage: Burns!
   -- Reversal of fortune, ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Burns plays hardball, managing to repurchase the plant for only $50 million.
 The Germans reluctantly agree...
   
   Horst: [threatingly] We Germans aren't all smiles und sunshine.
   Burns: [recoils in mock horror]
          Oooh, the Germans are mad at me.  I'm so scared!  Oooh, the Germans!
          [hiding behind Smithers]  Uh oh, the Germans are going to get me!
   Horst: Stop it!
   Man 2: Stop, sir.
   Burns: Don't let the Germans come after me.
          Oh no, the Germans are coming after me.
   Man 2: Please stop the `pretending you are scared' game, please.
   Horst: Stop it!  Stop it!
   Burns: [brief pause, then resumes]
          No!  They're so big and strong!
   Man 2: Stop it.
   Horst: Stop it, Mr. Burns.
   Man 2: Please stop pretending you are scared of us, please, now.
   Burns: Oh, protect me from the Germans!  The Germans...
   Horst: Burns, STOP IT!
   -- ``Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk''
   
 Burns throws the kids out of his office and orders Smithers to ``restore
 my office, cancel all repairs, and rehire that chap who sassed me in the
 bar.''  Why?  ``I keep my friends close, and my enemies closer. ... One
 day, when he least expects it...''  Burns stabs a doll on his desk.

 Homer gets off the phone.  ``Woo hoo!  I got my job back!''

 [End of Act Three.  Time: 20:05]
   Episode summaries Copyright 1991 by Raymond Chen.  Not to be redistributed
   in a public forum without permission.  (The quotes themselves, of course,
   remain the property of The Simpsons, and the reproduced articles remain
   the property of the original authors.  I'm just taking credit for the
   compilation.)